Legacy Part 3
At Smallville High…
Clark was used to the sensation of Alicia's power by now. But being transported without warning caused a slight dizziness. Clark opened his mouth, ready to confront Alicia about taking him against his will. And her treatment of Lana. True, she had given away Alicia's secret, but Lana had been trying to apologize just then. Clark became distracted as he realized they had teleported into a busy hallway.
"What are you doing?" Clark hissed as he looked around and saw all the staring faces.
"What?" Alicia shrugged calmly. "There's no point in hiding anymore. My name's on the list and the sheriff and deputy already know. Not to mention all the witnesses from the girls' bathroom. Might as well embrace the infamy."
"What did you do?" Jordan demanded, approaching the couple.
"Thank you. I was just saying…"
"Not you. You!" Jordan pointed his finger at Clark, a disapproving scowl on his face.
"Huh?"
"Van! He was supposed to die. He was going to die, and all of this would be over. But he's alive and the only person I know to have ever changed someone's fate is you. What happened?"
A memory flashed in Clark's mind: Van being choked by one of the pale figures. Clark had needed Van alive to get Alicia's antidote, so he interfered, causing Van to drop onto the pavement. "Jordan, I..."
"He did it for me," Alicia explained, rubbing Clark's shoulder. "Van poisoned me to force Clark to print that awful Torch edition. You saved me, baby."
Jordan sighed. "I guess I heard something about that. But now he's going to go after Megan again. She's only got a few days at most."
"I thought you said…"
"It changed!" Jordan threw his arms in the air. "Van's alive so now he gets to try again. And who knows how many before her."
Jordan stopped talking as the current quarterback, Danny Cormay, bumped into him. The contact caused Jordan to flinch.
"Watch it, freak!" Danny said as he passed by.
"Didn't you see him coming?" Nate Pratt laughed. "Isn't that what you can do? See the future? Guess you're not too good at it, huh?"
This time, Jordan didn't back down.
"Yeah. I get to see when and how people die. You're on the football team, right?" Jordan stared at Danny.
The quarterback shared a look with his gang and laughed. "Yeah, so?"
Jordan lifted his face to look Danny in the eye. "Enjoy your summer."
All of the jocks' laughter died as Jordan walked past the group. Their expressions grew confused as they didn't know what to make of Jordan's words. Danny's face grew slightly paler.
"He's kidding," Clark said trying to lighten the mood.
"Bye, babe." Alicia kissed him on the cheek and teleported to class.
As Clark walked in the direction of his locker, he wondered if Alicia hadn't been poisoned, if there was no hidden antidote, would he have saved Van's life?
At the Luthor Mansion…
"I thought I told you to get out of town," Lex said as he entered his study. He had been notified of two visitors: Perry White and Chloe Sullivan. Both rose from the couch as he entered the room.
"I can't leave now. Not when a story like this is happening right before my eyes," Perry explained, an annoying grin on his face.
"Lex, Perry has something you'll want to hear," Chloe said.
"You got five minutes." Lex took a seat at his desk.
"Your father had your memory wiped because you learned something that could take him down," Chloe said.
Lex's eyes shifted between the two. He had long suspected that was the case.
"And do you know what that is?"
"Lionel and Morgan Edge caused the fire that killed your grandparents for the insurance money. You got the confession from Edge. Then you were committed, and your brain was fried despite the risks."
"What was your involvement in this, Chloe?"
"I made a deal with Lionel, and I couldn't get out. I was looking for something I could hold over him. When I found out about Edge, I gave you the information for your help."
It all made sense now. The firing of Gabe and why Chloe had been silent about it.
"I take it you knew about this." Lex's eyes drifted to Perry. "Strange my father stopped at ruining your career."
"Multiple copies plus multiple attorneys all within the event of my death instructions to disseminate, well, you do the math."
Chloe became distracted as her cell phone buzzed. "I got to take this," she said, excusing herself from the room.
"And now you're ready to hand over this information to me?" Lex asked White.
"Not exactly. I won't give you the information. But I think we can trade."
"And what is it you want?"
"Everything you know about Clark Kent." White took a seat across from Lex. The retired reporter kept a smug expression, thinking he held one over the young Luthor. "Two years ago, you drove a Porsche off a bridge. I went over the police photos; there's no way you could have walked away from that crash without the miracle that is Clark Kent. Imagine my surprise when I learned you cultivated a friendship with this kid. And, coincidently, he's caught the attention of Lionel."
"You haven't changed a bit. Still exploiting minors for a headline."
"The Lex I knew wouldn't shake his hand without an ulterior motive. You must have something. Give it to me, and I'll deliver you a story that'll bring new meaning to the phrase 'sins of the father'."
Lex lunged across the desk, grabbing Perry by the collar and lifting him up from the seat, bringing them face to face. Looking back, Lex wasn't sure what it was that made him react so violently. It could have been anything from White's expression or the knowledge that not only had White gone after Lana, he was now going after Clark.
"You may have been able to neutralize my father, but not me," Lex snarled.
"I see the jungle living took a toll."
"I'm warning you," Lex shook White's collar, "stay away from me and stay away from my friends. Trust me, there won't be any blood on my hands when they find what's left of you."
Lex released the fallen journalist, shoving him back down. Perry retreated from the room, like a dog with its tail between its legs. Lex looked down at his hands; they were still shaking.
"What did I miss?" Chloe asked, coming back in.
"White's not handing over the information Chloe."
"What? But…"
"Don't worry, Chloe. I think there's another way you can help bring my father down."
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Perry walked down the hallway, fumbling for his flask. He gulped down the burning liquid, desperately trying to drown his frustration.
After years of chasing tall tales and supernatural phenomena that happened to be hoaxes, Perry White had stumbled on the real deal. There was a story in Smallville. A story that was bigger than just one girl with gills. And Clark Kent seemed to be in the middle of it. Perry's train of thought was interrupted as he bumped into Lionel Luthor himself.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't worry, Lionel. Lex just told me in no uncertain terms for the second time my presence in this town is unwanted." Perry shoved past his enemy and turned the corner.
"I thought I heard you mention the name Clark Kent." Perry stopped to listen as Lionel continued to talk.
"You know, I happen to find Clark Kent an intriguing mystery myself. A mystery I would pay dearly to have solved."
"I'm listening."
At the Torch office…
Pete normally spent his free period catching up on homework or playing basketball. But he could not get the dream girl out of his head. It was weird thinking there was someone out there who depended on him.
Who needed him to be a hero.
"Hey, Chloe…" Clark said as he rushed into the Torch office. He stopped when he caught sight of Pete.
"Chloe's not here. Word is she called in sick."
"Gotcha." Clark went about filing a stack of papers.
Pete coughed at the awkward silence that followed. "How're the glitches?"
"Still there. The solar flare won't be over officially for a few more days, so I'm stuck like this til then. I just wish Van doesn't hurt anyone before I'm back to normal."
"What's the solar flare have to do with your glitches?" Alicia had popped up without warning.
"It's just a theory," Clark tried to wave it away as Alicia latched onto his arm. "You asked what was different. Thinking it over, the flare happened about the same time."
"If that's true, then your powers are solar related," Alicia mused.
Pete rolled his eyes as the couple nuzzled noses and turned his attention back to the computer. His searches were laughable, and void of any important information. Pete needed Chloe or Clark's expertise for this mission.
"Need help?" Clark asked, somehow noticing Pete's desperation.
"Yeah," Pete groaned in defeat. "See, I've been dreaming about this girl."
"Really? Who's the lucky Smallville High Bachelorette?"
"I have no idea. Her name's…her name…it's on the tip of my tongue. The back of my mind. I just can't remember. I don't even know if she's real. I just know that she needs my help."
"The same girl's been in multiple dreams of yours? Chloe will be upset she called in sick."
Both Pete and Clark were able to laugh at the harmless quip.
"Is there anything else you remember in your dreams about her?"
Pete frowned in concentration. "I think there was an accident. With a car. Near water? Over water? And she plays basketball. No. Volleyball? No. Um…"
"Well, that's something. You can search for articles about car crashes with athlete passengers within a twenty mile radius for the past five years," Clark offered.
"That could take forever," Pete groaned.
"And if that doesn't work, you'll need to expand the mileage and the year."
"You know," Alicia put in, "sometimes animals can have deep meanings in dreams. Maybe you saw her mascot? Like a crow or a horse. Do you remember seeing anything like that?"
"No," Pete said through clenched teeth. His anger flared as he realized what was happening. This was just like Clark. Pete had something going on and then his so called "friend" just came in to save the day and get all the credit.
"You know, I got some free time this period." Clark pulled out a chair at the neighboring computer. "Why don't I help you with the search?"
"I don't need your help. I got it!" Pete snapped.
"Sorry." Clark mumbled, heading back into the hallway.
Pete groaned, unsure why he had just acted like that. He was in over his head, doing work for someone who might not even exist.
The strange thing was the crooked smile Alicia gave as she left the room.
At Belle Reeve…
Eric Summers stared at the poster in the psychiatrist office. It was one of those tacky ones: a stock photo of a sunny beach with the word "Believe" on the bottom. The sad thing was that poster was the closest thing Eric ever saw to sun. Ever since the night of Eric and Ian's failed attempt to escape, Eric had been locked up in a high security cell. No yard time; no windows. Just a lot of sedatives and constant surveillance.
And extra therapy sessions.
"Eric?" Dr. McBride, his psychiatrist, questioned.
"Sorry, doc. What was the question?"
"Tell me about the night you got your powers back. How did it make you feel?" Dr. McBride's voice held that condescendingly nice tone these doctors seemed to all have.
The question made Eric roll his eyes. Eric hated the doctor. He was clearly trying too hard to be cool with his long hair.
"It felt good." Eric confessed.
"And how did you get your powers back? Were you thinking about anything differently? What exactly was going through your mind?"
"Ah, you know, I thought happy thoughts. Clicked my heels three times. You know, it sounds like you want me to get those powers back."
"Don't you want to have them back?"
Duh. Eric rolled his eyes again. Instead of answering the doctor, Eric asked a question of his own. "Where's Jeff?"
"Who?"
"Jeff Palmer. You know, patient here? Turned himself invisible. I guess that makes him easy to lose."
"That is classified information."
"Huh. You know, that's not the first time this place lost a patient. At least when Ian and Cyrus died there were bodies."
Dr. McBride sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I'm trying to help you, Eric. If we can get past these mental barriers you've constructed, it's possible you could get your powers back. Perhaps even permanently. Wouldn't you like that?"
More than you could ever know.
"Sorry, doc. Don't think I'll get that lucky again."
With the session over, two orderlies came to escort Eric back to his high security cell. As they approached the room, a janitor was mopping the floor, obstructing the entrance.
"You can't be here," the guard on Eric's left said. He removed a firearm and approached the cleaner. The second guard kept a close watch on Eric.
The janitor turned around, showing he wore a gas mask. The mop was used to disarm the first guard. As guard one fell to the ground, the janitor shot the one still holding onto Eric. The long bullet had a tassel at the end, like the ones on tranquilizers in movies. The second guard fell and the first one received a similar dart.
The janitor came over to Eric and shoved a gas mask into his hands. Eric did the best he could to put the mask on, but the handcuffs made it difficult. His rescuer helped and then Eric followed as they walked back upstairs. The entire floor was flooded with a thick smoke. Patients, orderlies, nurses, and doctors were coughing and collapsing to the floor. Eric and the stranger alone were able to walk straight out of the building into a nearby truck.
The stranger sped away down the unobstructed highway. Once a good distance away, Eric took off his mask. His mind raced with what had just happened and what it could mean.
"Thanks," Eric said, trying to control his burst of adrenaline.
The driver remained silent with the mask still on his face.
"Hey! You hear me?" Eric reached his hand to pull of the stranger's mask. The car swerved off the road as the mystery man fended off Eric's attack. The driver never corrected course by returning to the road.
Eric tried to remove the mask a second time. In this attempt, Eric was successful in causing the mask to lay crookedly on the stranger's face. With a fluid motion, the driver removed his mask, revealing his identity to be Van McNulty.
Eric paled, realizing he was with the killer who tried to take his life a short time ago. He fumbled with the car handle in a desperate attempt to get away, only for Van to give a solid punch to his face, knocking him out.